Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative
colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers,
in the
lining of the rectum and colon. Ulcers form where inflammation has
killed the
cells that usually line the colon, then bleed and produce pus.
Inflammation in
the colon also causes the colon to empty frequently, causing diarrhea.

When
the inflammation occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon it is
called
ulcerative proctitis. If the entire colon is affected it is called
pancolitis.
If only the left side of the colon is affected it is called limited or
distal
colitis.

Ulcerative
colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for
diseases
that cause inflammation in the small intestine and colon. It can be
difficult
to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal
disorders and
to another type of IBD called Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease differs because
it causes inflammation deeper within the intestinal wall and can occur
in other
parts of the digestive system including the small intestine, mouth,
esophagus,
and stomach.

Ulcerative
colitis can occur in people of any age, but it usually starts between
the ages
of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. It
affects
men and women equally and appears to run in families, with reports of
up to 20
percent of people with ulcerative colitis having a family member or
relative
with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. A higher
incidence of ulcerative
colitis is seen in Whites and people of Jewish descent.

Symptoms
of ulcerative colitis

The most
common symptoms of ulcerative colitis
are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Patients also may experience:

anemia

fatigue

weight
loss

loss
of appetite

rectal
bleeding

loss
of body fluids and nutrients

skin
lesions

joint
pain

growth
failure (specifically in children)

About
half of the people diagnosed with
ulcerative colitis have mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fevers,
bloody
diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis may
also
cause problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver
disease, and
osteoporosis. It is not known why these problems occur outside the
colon.
Scientists think these complications may be the result of inflammation
triggered by the immune system. Some of these problems go away when the
colitis
is treated.